Mail-bag catcher.



,055. PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907'.

0. J. DIETRIGH. MAIL BAG OATOHBR.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY M, 1906.

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PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

D. S. GOOKwSz O. J. DIBTRIGH.

MAIL BAG GATGHER. APPLICATION FILED mu 24,1906.

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UNITE STATES PA'IEN FFIQE.

DAVID S. COOK AND C. JOSEPH DIETRICH, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BAG OATCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

Application filed May 24,1906. Serial No. 318,509-

To all whom, 1J7? may concern Be it known that we, DAVID S. Coox and C. JOSEPH DIETRroH, citizens of the United States, residing at La Grange, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new 'and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mail-bag catchers; and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide means for locking the bag to the catcher after it has been engaged, and thus preventing the bag from falling to the ground, as often occurs with devices as at present employed for catching mail-bags.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means for insuring a yielding action to the catcher-arm, so that the mail-bag will not be injured by a sudden impact with the arm.

Still another object is to provide means for unlocking the bag from the catcher, said means being also utilized to control the position of the catcher-arm at the time the mailbag is to be caught.

These and other objects are attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mail-bag catcher made in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, of the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more particular description of our in vention, the numeral 1 designates the main shaft or rod, upon which the catcher-arm 2 is mounted, and 3 is a casing for containing the operative mechanism, said casing being secured upon the shaft 1 by means of screws 4, which pass over lugs in the casing and through the shaft 1. The casing 3 serves as a protector for the inclosed mechanism and prevents the accumulation of snow or ice from interfering with the working parts of the catcher.

Pivotally mounted on the casing is a lever 6, said lever having a U-shaped member 7 extending around the catcher-arm 2, and

said lever also having two arms 8, whichserve to lock the bag into the curved portion 2 of the arm 2. The pivot 9, on which the lever 6 is mounted, is provided with squared ends to pass through square holes in the lever, and at the center said pivot 9 is squared to engage a segmental rack 10, provided with ratchet-teeth 11.

A spring pawl or dog 12'is connected to the sleeve 5, and the end of said pawl is adapted to engage the teeth 11 of the rack 10.

A key 13 passes through the casing 3 and is provided at its outer end with a handle 14 for operating the same, the inner end having secured thereto a cam 15, adapted to bear against the side of the spring-dog 12 to press it out of engagement with the teeth 11. The shank of the key 13 is elongated, so that the operator may manipulate the catcher to engage the bag and at the same time to unlock the same from the catcher-arm, if desired.

A spiral spring 16 encircles the shaft 1 and is secured thereto at one end, while the other end bears against a sleeve 17, loosely mounted upon said shaft. The spring 16 serves as a buffer to cushion the shock of the catcherarm in engaging the bag.

From the foregoing the operation of the invention may be readily understood and may be briefly described, as follows: When the U- shaped member 7 of the lever 6 is adjusted to extend across the opening between the shaft 1 and the arm 2, the mail-bag coming against said member will swing said arm and bring the two arms 8 against the bag and lock the same into the curved portion 2 of the arm 2. The operator may use the handle for balancing and adjusting the position of the catcher-arm 2 to insure engagement with the bag.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mail-bag catcher, a two-armed lever, a segmental rack carried by said lever, a spring-dog for engaging the rack, and a key for unlocking the dog.

2. In a mail-bag catcher, a catcher-arm, a spring-bufier for said arm, a pivoted mailbag look, a spring-pawl, a segmental rack, a

key adapted to engage said pawl, said key i set our hands in presence of two subscribing also serving to adjust and balance the Witnesses.

catcher-arm, substantially as described. D AVID S COOK 3. In a 1nail-ba catcher an automatic bag-lock comprising a two-arm lever, a seg- JOSEPH DIETRIOH' mental rack, a pawl and a spring-dog for en- Witnesses: gaging the lock, substantially as described. C. L. SAGKETT,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto ROSE HART. 

